Tony DeFrancesco enters his second season with the Astros organization as the manager of Triple-A Oklahoma City after serving as the manager of Oakland's Triple-A Sacramento River Cats for seven seasons (2003-07, 2009-10). In 2008, DeFrancesco also served as the Athletics third-base coach for the Major League club.

During his stint with the River Cats, DeFrancesco guided the team to six first-place finishes in the Pacific Coast League
Southern Division. He was named the PCL Manager of the Year and Sporting News Minor League Manager of the Year in 2003
after posting a 92-52 regular-season record and going 6-0 in the postseason en route to the championship. Prior to joining Sacramento in 2003, DeFrancesco managed nine seasons (1994-2002) at four different levels in Oakland's Minor League system. Overall, he owns a 1168-1028 (.532) record, including a 646-504 (.562) mark in the PCL.

DeFrancesco made his managerial debut in 1994 with Oakland's rookie affiliate in the Arizona League and spent the next
two seasons as the skipper of Class A Short-Season Southern Oregon. He spent the 1997-98 seasons at Class A Advanced Visalia where he guided the Oaks to consecutive playoff appearances in the California League. DeFrancesco then managed Double-A Midland from 1999-2002. Prior to his first Minor League managerial seat in 1994, he also served as a coach with Southern Oregon and a roving catching instructor for two seasons.

A catcher during his playing career, DeFrancesco played eight seasons in the Minor Leagues for the Boston and Cincinnati organizations.

Tony and his wife, Adriene, make their offseason home in Mesa, Ariz., with their two children, Anthony IV and Genevieve.